Influenza A virus M sub(2) protein: Monoclonal antibody restriction of virus growth and detection of M sub(2) in virions

• Published in: Journal of virology Vol. 62; no. 8; pp. 2762 - 2772
• Main Authors: Zebedee, S L, Lamb, R A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01-01-1988
• Subjects: influenza A virus
• ISSN: 0022-538X

The influenza A virus M sub(2) protein is an integral membrane protein of 97 amino acids that is expressed at the surface of infected cells with an extracellular N-terminal domain of 18 to 23 amino acid residues, an internal hydrophobic domain of approximately 19 residues, and a C-terminal cytoplasmic domain of 54 residues. To gain an understanding of the M sub(2) protein function in the influenza virus replicative pathway, the authors produced and characterized a monoclonal antibody to M sub(2). The M sub(2)-specific monoclonal antibody was used in a sensitive immunoblot assay to show that M sub(2) protein could be detected in virion preparations. Quantitation of the amount of M sub(2) associated with virions by two unrelated methods indicated that in the virion preparations used there are 14 to 68 molecules of M sub(2) per virion. The monoclonal antibody, when included in a plaque assay overlay, considerably slowed the growth of some influenza virus strains.